Received H1B Approval Notice; USCIS Online Status Shows RFE

by HSB on June 16, 2009

in H1B Visa

USCIS Case status online website is not working right. It’s been like that for last month or so. Looking at recent comments, many are not  aware of the issue that  USCIS Case Status online being not working and their H-1B status is not updated regularly.

Here is another example to prove that USCIS Online Case status is not working as expected.

Snowbro @ 1400 H1-B Application Denied

They don’t seem to update their Case Status Online… I am physically holding my H1B Approval notice, but online it still says RFE pending…

Congrats on your approval. You have made some of the discussion interesting and helped out many others with you regular status updates and useful comments. Hope, you visit HSB again and help others with their questions.

Related posts:

  1. H-1B Visa – Approval Notice Sent
  2. What does Case Received and Pending mean?
  3. April Applied; May RFE; July Approval – H1B Visa 2010
  4. L1 to H1B Visa Transfer without H1B Approval Notice?
  5. How to check H1B Visa Status Online with EAC Receipt Number
  6. RFE Query – H1B Visa Petitions

{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Vishal March 12, 2010 at 10:58 AM

Hello Friends

Can I know how much time USCIS is taking on RFE cases?

Means how much time I should wait to know about any updates on my RFE, like 4 or 6 weeks? provided that I have provide proper answers to all questions of RFE.

Thanks

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2 LuckyH January 5, 2010 at 4:23 PM

Hi The One,
I applied for my H1 extension vermont center, in july 2009 and now on december 30th i see RFE status is being shown on my case on website. But not yet received the RFE paper. when i read your post, does it mean that your attorney got the RFE paper in hand and then you got approval notice after 6 weeks? didnt you respond to RFE? Please leave your suggestion, that will help me since its been 1 week and we didnt get RFE document yet and i am really worried.. Thanks so much! I called USCIS too and the automated message said and RFE is sent, did you do the same?

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3 Aarkarth July 27, 2009 at 7:24 PM

@Rani,

For me, it was the same. They changed the LUD to July 15th but the status is not changed online. But I got my approval dated July 15th. My online status is not changed yet. Hope something good will happen for you too. All the best.

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4 @Aarkarth July 28, 2009 at 11:10 PM

Thanks Aarkarth and congratulations.
I hope the same would happen with me..

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5 Rani July 27, 2009 at 5:08 PM

Hi…
I got the RFE for my H1B visa. My consultant has replied to the RFE. Further, USCIS also showing the status that they receive my RFE and case processing has resumed. This is the message I was seeing for the last 3 weeks but suddenly they changed the “last update date” in my account but I am still seeing the same status. There is no change in the status. Only the “last update date” has changed

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6 kaushal July 24, 2009 at 11:56 AM

I received Approval notice for I-129. What does that mean? What will be next step forward?

Thanks in advance.

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7 lifeonh1b July 5, 2009 at 6:40 AM

Hi everyone,

Please let me know what the best time to go for visa stamping this year!!!!!!!!!!!!

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8 Sam July 5, 2009 at 6:37 AM

Hi everyone,

Please let me know what the best time to go for visa stamping this year!!!!

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9 Jeet June 30, 2009 at 10:28 AM

Hi Guys!!!

My consultant did nt rceive any receipt number from USCIS,so he had to call them up as the check was encashed. They gav ethe recipt number and said tht application has been approved.Still have nt received the approval notice and the online status reflects the case is pending. Any suggestions as to what might be going on?

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10 amy June 30, 2009 at 9:48 PM

@ jeet….as odd at it may seem some have received their approval notice and yet online status is not updated while others have seen their online stat get updated to approval notice sent and hasnt received the notice yet.i think there are certain issues with regards to that.at any rate if your consultant was told that ur case has been approved then maybe you can just wait til ur atty/company received the notice..or he can contact them for a follow up in the long run.

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11 finally June 26, 2009 at 4:55 AM

I just wonder that officers said after approving my visa you can not go to us till 10 days before october 1

this procedure is valid for still. I mean do they ignore this procedure or not
does anyone there who went to usa before that date?
if there is , that is great
thanks in advance

Reply

12 sassy June 25, 2009 at 9:17 AM

I’d like to know if there’s anyone who responded to RFE between 3rd week of may that got approval this week? Iam so anxious i have’nt heard anything from my employer. Just hope to hear some info to relieve my worries.

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13 TheOne June 24, 2009 at 6:10 AM

Hi friends

Today i checked USCIS website and the status has now changed to “Approval Notice Sent”.

From past 6 weeks, the status was showing “Request for Additional Evidence Sent”

Hence the case status online website is not completely discfunctional. Probably they are doing updates in batches.

so sometimes you get approval notice first while it takes time to update the website and someother times (like for me now), i am seeing the status change first and still hasn’t received my approval notice

Also, my yoru info., my processing was done from Vermont (Receipt no. starts with EAC…..)

just sharing to disseminate info. as others did, which has helped me a lot

Thanks to this website

Cheers,
TheOne

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14 Kush June 24, 2009 at 2:16 AM

Hi,

My employer said they received RFE (Request for Further Evidence). Is it something bad? He said yes it is bad and i may get rejection? But they would do all possible to get it approved.

Can any one tell me in what cases one will receive a RFE? Is it because the employer did not file the petition properly or is it the USCIS who is tightening its rules and just do not want to approve some of the visas?

Can any one please suggest me something here? That would be very helpful. I am very worried now.

:Kush

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15 c12 June 24, 2009 at 6:09 AM

Hi Kush! RFE does not usually mean rejection. It only means USCIS is asking for additional documents either from you or from your petitioner which is your employer. It does not also mean that your employer did not file your petition properly. It really depends on how the USCIS evaluates every petition filed. So after your employer submits the additional evidence needed, USCIS again evaluates your case and will decide if it would be approved or denied. Dnt worry, I know people who got RFE last month but are now approved. So, good luck!

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16 Kush June 25, 2009 at 3:27 PM

Dear C12,

Thanks for the specific information. I appreciate your taking time in replying to my question. It helped a lot!

Best,
Kush

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17 TheOne June 24, 2009 at 6:16 AM

Hi Kush

dont worry. my case was also in RFE and it took a few weeks to change.

Nothing wrong if you have got RFE. Your employer should give all the required info. and things will be ok

also i heard from a recriuter friend is US that this time, USCIS has issued RFE in a lot of cases. Probably they are more strict in approving. thats all

so be patient and best of luck

Cheers,
TheOne

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18 Kush June 25, 2009 at 3:25 PM

TheOne…

Thanks for the encouraging words… I am keeping my figures crossed!

Congrats with your approval :)

Cheers..

:Kush

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19 Amanda June 20, 2009 at 2:25 AM

Hi guys…

yesterday, I got the approval notice!! very happy. and good luck for all of you

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20 jo June 20, 2009 at 8:13 AM

congrats amanda! may i know your specialization? i hope my application will also be approved, no news from my attorney..

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21 lifeisgood June 20, 2009 at 1:06 AM

I am also holding my H1b physically in my hand but the USCIS website is still showing my application as “Pending”…I got my approval 5 days back…

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22 ragu June 18, 2009 at 4:48 PM

Hi,

Today I got from employer that my h1 was approved. But USCIS website still showing case received and pending. Anybody waiting for h1 visa approva… Please contact their employers.

Thanks
Ragu

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23 tracy June 18, 2009 at 5:01 PM

hi ragu,

Which center did you apply for? can you also share with us the date when you recieved your reciept number? thanks

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24 ragu June 18, 2009 at 9:33 PM

Applied on vermont center. Got receipt on May third week.

Thanks
Ragu

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25 tracy June 19, 2009 at 7:44 PM

Hi,

I got my approval by email yesterday and the online status shows: Approval notice sent on 6/17. I applied in Califonia Center, so i think they’re updating the website timely.

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26 amy June 19, 2009 at 10:05 PM

Hi tracy just afew questions,when were u filed and when did u get ur receipt notice? I was filed thru CA service center as well,still w8ng.Thanks in advance..

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27 tracy June 20, 2009 at 3:51 AM

I filed the application on 4/10 and got my reciept number on 4/29. It takes much longer for them to deal with the cases in California center than in Vermont. Don’t worry, you will get it soon :)

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28 ragu June 22, 2009 at 2:17 PM

Congratz. :-)

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29 Preeti Jain June 17, 2009 at 11:33 AM

Is it the right time to transfer H1b from one consulting company to another

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30 jo June 17, 2009 at 11:25 AM

congrats snowbro! i hope one of these days my application will also be approved. my employer is just telling me that the result is not yet released. i dont have the receipt number, they just told me to wait. im confident that they’ve filed for my h1b because my friend is already working at the same company. did you receive the notice via email from uscis? or through your attorney?

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31 Snowbro June 19, 2009 at 4:18 PM

From my attorney…

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32 Aarkarth June 17, 2009 at 9:37 AM

Hi Snowbro,

Congrats on your approval!

Did you check your status through the phone line as well? What is your status through the phone? Is that updated? Please confirm.

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33 Snowbro June 17, 2009 at 11:18 AM

Thanks.

Never tried through the phone… I don’t even know where to go for that.

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34 Aarkarth June 17, 2009 at 4:47 PM

Hi Snowbro,

Would you mind calling 1-800-375-5283 toll-free number to check whether your status is updated?. That would be helpful for others to rely on the telephone status rather than online status.

Thanks

Reply

35 Krithi August 28, 2009 at 11:16 AM

Hi,
I tried calling the USCIS office, but it says my receipt number is incorrect. My receipt number starts with WAC0914******. So which number am i supposed to enter?

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36 Snowbro June 17, 2009 at 8:51 AM

Yeah, this blog is great… best place on the internet for H1B Visa news and updates…

You should start one up for Green Card applications too :)

Reply

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